Paper feeding means for an accounting machine



March 1958 w. A. ANDERSON 2,827,145

PAPER FEEDING MEANS FOR AN ACCOUNTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 28, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 NORM INVENTOR. WALTER AANDERSON ATTORNEY March 18, 1958 w. A. ANDERSON PAPER FEEDING MEANS FOR AN ACCOUNTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 28, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

WALTER A. ANDERSON March 18,1958 w, ANDERSON 2,827,145

PAPER FEEDING MEANS FOR AN ACCOUNTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 28, 1953 Sheets-Sheet 4 g E E a l 2 t g inimumuunuhhnu: 5L5 :F

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INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY United States PAPER FEEDING MEANS FOR AN ACCOUNTENG MACHINE Walter A. Anderson, Trumbull, Conn, assignor to Underwood Corporation, New York, N. 3 a corporation of Delaware Application December 28, 1953, Serial No. 4%,467

11 Claims. (Cl. 197-428) This invention relates to accounting machines having a traveling paper carriage arranged for lateral, column by column, movement thereon, and more articularly to paper holding and feeding means therefor.

' One of the many uses of accounting machines is in the printing of checks for modern payrolls. In such case the operations of the machine usually include the printing of an employees pay check, and the recording of the various printings on related work sheets, as for example, on an Employees Record and a journal.

In present payroll accounting practice, it is the general custom for the employer to make certain additions and deductions from the employees gross pay, these additions and deductions being, at times, considerable in number. In prior accounting machines, printing of the various desired amounts on the check and the related work sheets is performed entirely during the lateral movement, column by column, of the paper carriage.

The check printed on such prior machines usually includes a combined stub portion on which the various amounts including gross pay, deductions, and net pay are printed, and a body portion on which the net pay representing the face value of the check is printed, and is inserted in front of the platen to facilitate rapid insertion and removal. It is easily seen that when there are a large number of items as described above, the combined check and stub must be of considerable length to accommodate all of the desired printings. It has been found in practice that long checks present a handling problem in that they are of such fiimsiness as to render them difficult of insertion and positioning in front of the platen, and of removal therefrom after the printing operation is completed, thus retarding the speed of machine operation and causing spoilage of many checks.

One object of the present invention, then, is to provide in an accounting machine, paper holding and guiding mechanism that permits the condensing of printings, by the usually provided printing means, of the desired amounts in a manner which will enable the use of a short length form or check.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a paper holding and guiding mechanism which permits rapid insertion and removal of short length forms or checks in correct horizontal and vertical alignment relative to the printing mechanism.

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, the important elements of which are herein set out in appended claims, and preferred form of embodiment hereinafter described with reference to the drawings which accompany and form part of this specification;

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a right hand perspective view of an accounting machine embodying the present invention,

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the machine keyboard,

Figure 3 is a right hand perspective view of the paper holding mechanism and its supporting bail, showing the 2,327,,i Patented Mar. 18, 1958 check holding and guiding means set in first printing posi tion,

Figure 4 is a detail View in vertical elevation showing the means provided for clamping the check holding and guiding means in the bail,

Figure 5 is a detail view in vertical elevation showing the means provided for manually disabling vertical movement of the check holding and guiding means,

Figure 6 is a front view in vertical elevation showing the check holding and guiding means holding a check laterally in its first vertical columnar printing position, and vertically in the position assumed after the printing of the first amount on the check,

Figure 7 is a View similar to Figure 6 illustrating the printings on a check and the check holding and guiding means moved laterally to the last printing column on the check, and

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the control plate and the various controls provided thereon, and a portion of the Employees Record form with the laterally printed amounts thereon.

The present invention is embodied in an accounting machine of the well-known Underwood Sundstrand type such as is disclosed in Patents Nos. 2,194,270, and 2,209,240 of Oscar J. Sundstrand, dated March 19, 1940, and iuly 23, 1940, respectively, and Patent No. 2,5 36,524 of Walter A. Anderson, dated January 2, 1951, to which patents reference may be made for an understanding of features of construction and operation not fully shown and described herein.

For convenience of reference and study of the invention, the description is divided into the following headrugs:

(1) General construction of the machine (2) The front fed paper holding and guiding means (3) Operation of the machine (4) The demountable bail (5) Means for disabling the raising of the bail General construction of the machine Referring to Figure 1, the machine comprises a stationary machine section generally designated by the numeral 10, and a paper supporting carriage 11 movable transversely on said stationary section. A keyboard 13 embodied in the stationary section includes two sets of amount entering keys 14 and 16, two machine cycling keys or motor bars 17 and 19, a group of date printing keys 20, and many other controls, the function and purposes of which are well known, and such as are more intimately connected with the present invention will be specifically set forth as the description of the machine proceeds. Amount printing type bars 22 and 23, and date printing type bars 25, see also Figures 6 and 7, are supported in the stationary section 10 for differentially vertical slidable movements to printing positions, under the control of stops set upon the depressing of amount keys 14 and 16, in the manner disclosed in the patents referred to above. The amount type bars 22 and 23 have associated therewith an upper and a lower crossfooter, each capable of addition as well as subtraction. The said amount printing type bars have also associated therewith an upper and a lower group of plain adding registers, all disposed to the rear of the crossfooters. The transfer mechanisms of the crossfooters and plain registers are split laterally into two sections each, so that when entering amounts, the right hand sections thereof are actuated during the machine cycling by type bars 22 under the control of said stops set by the depression of amount keys 14, and the left hand sections thereof are actuated in the same manner under the control of stops set by the amount keys 15. Theright hand section of each cros5- 3 footer contains overdraft and fugitive 1 mechanisms, while the left hand section of each crossfooter is provided with the fugitive 1 mechanism only, for purposes to be later described. The machine cycling mechanism. is identical with that disclosed in the aforementioned patents; V

The carriage 11 is provided with the customary platen roller 26 which serves to support work-sheets for receiving impressions from types carried by type'bars 22, 23, and 25. it also contains the usual paper feed rolls 29, holders 30 and 31 for a carbon roll and a front feed bail movable toward and from platen 26 in' a manner similar to that disclosed in Patent No.*2,536,524. The carriage is moved from right to left, that is, in its tabulating movement, by means of the usual band spring; and is positioned under the control of magazines mounted on a control. plate secured in the carriage as illustrated in Figure 8. The. carriage is returned to its original printing position by a carriage return: mechanism such as is disclosed in the patents referred to.

The front fed paper holding and guiding means The present inventionprovides a' me'an's for holding an'd guiding a front fed form, such as a check, so as to enable both vertically line spaced and laterally spacedprintings thereon, and lateral columnar printing on one or more rear fed forms. Referring now to Figures 1 and '3, the front feed bail comprises endplates 32'and- 33pivote'd on studs in the carriage frame side p1ate's 35 and 36; said plates 32 and 33 being connected by a transparent paper table 37, which is secured thereto by' screws 38.- This forms a bail that is swingable from-andtowardthe platen manually by means of a handle 40 and bail release button 41 respectively, see Figure l,- in the manner disclosed in the'Anderson patent above Also, as shown in this patent plate 32 is connected to a lever 43, partially shown, Figures 1 and 3, pivotally mounted on a stud 44 in the carriage side plate 35. Lever43 is connected bya bar 46 with a lever 47 pivotally supported on a stud 49 in the carriage side plate 36. Mounted on the bar 46 is a cam 50 which, acting on-arolle'r'SZ' secured on a bracket 53 aflixed to the stationary'machiiie section 10, partially opens the bail during a return movement of the carriage.

Mounted for vertical slidable movement on studs 55 fixed in end plates 32' and 33 areplates 56, each ofwhich is provided with a rearwardlyextending leg 58.- Plates a 56 are connected by a bar 59 which supports paper guides such as indicated by the numeral 61, and ties the-parts together to form a verticallymovable bail. To move the bail vertically bell cranks 6;! are pivotally supported on a shaft 64*secured in the carriage side plates 35 and 36. On the-forward leg of each'bellcrank 62" is fixed a roller 65' which underlies the rearwardly extending leg 58 of'plates' 56; The'other legs ofbell I;

cranks 62 are connected by links 67 with-lever's 68 pivotally supported on the studs 44 and 49. Levers 68 are connected by' a bar 70 on which is fastened a' stepped cam 71 that bears, under the sheer weight ofits support ing structure, on a roller- 73 supported on the bracket 153 in a manner to be lateridescribedi A pair of springs 11 3 connected between links-67 and extending forwardly to fixed parts of the carriage 11, are provided to'partially compensate for the weight of the" check holder 76 and bail 74 aswell'as-any-otf-center'weightof bar; 70 and-so relieve some of the'pressur'e on-r'oller 73L Supportedbetween-the plates 56'is a shaft 74 onwhich is mounted, for lateral slidablemovernenhacheck'holder 76.- The check holder 76"is' normally 'positioned on shaft 74--to hold acheck inits first printing'position, shownin Figure 6. To so-posit'ion check holder 76 a magnet 77 is mounted on-a bar 79, secured tothccheck holder 76'; said magnet being loosely mounted on said barto enable automatic alignment of its polesfor a full and complete magnetic connection with an up'standingplate 83 secured'to the stationary machine section10; as'seen in Figures 3 and 6. The present invention provides for both vertical and lateral movement of the check holder 76 as will be later described. Therefore, the magnetic connection of magnet 77 and bracket 83 is of suflicient strength to maintain the connection against friction during the lateral movement of the carriage, but light enough to allow magnet 77 to easily slide vertically on the surface of bracket 83 and permit a free and easy vertical move: ment of the check holder" 76, and also to allow easy breaking of the connection upon the initiation of lateral movement of the check holder 76;

Operation of the machine Referring now to Figures I and 7, the present invention provides for the printing of the required amounts directly upon a check indicated generally by the numeral 85. The check consists of a short stub portion 86 and a conventional body portion 88, the combination thereof pro viding a check of short length which may be easily handled for insertion and removal. The check is carbon backed as indicated by the dotted lines 89, for transferring the amounts printed thereon onto an Employees Record Sheet, illustrated in Figure 8, and by means of an interposed carbon upon a journal sheet if suchbe desired.

The journal sheet if it be used, is enteredin the carriage, together with the interposed carbon infront of it, at the rear of platen 26. The carbon may be of the roll type and supported on the carbon roll holders 30 and 31 usually provided to the rear of the platen.

The carriage 11 is provided with a control plate, not shown, carrying a plurality of control magazines 91 as seen in Figurev 8. Each magazine carries lugs for actuating the machine function controls, not shown, inthe manner described in Patents Nos. 2,209,240 and 2,194,270. Certain of the magazines91 carry slides-92 which,when moved forwardly by meansof a columnc'o'n trol cam 94, retract lugs indicated by the letter R'from an effective to an ineffective position. Column control cam 94 is movable vertically by means of a lever 95, Figures 1 and 2, to several positions for the purpose of changing the functions of the machine by actuating slides 92. In thepresent instance, lever 95 ispositioned' in its forward or No; 1 position setting cam 94in its raised position where it isineffective to actuate slides 92. It is, therefore, to be understood that for the purposes of the present invention all of the lugs shown are effective to opera'te'the machine function'controlswith which they are associated as indicated inthe indexprovid'ed to the' left thereof. 7

Tostart a posting run, the"carriage' 11' is positioned with the magazine 91 in the'lst columnar position abutting a tabulatorst'op 96,-see Fig.8. Whenithe carriageis in this position, handle'40 is moved to'its'forwardp'ositionto'open the front feedbail'in'the'manner disclosed'in Patent" No';- 2,53 6,524; and the' Employees" Record Sheet is front fed into the carriage in' theusua'l manner. A'- suitable paper guide 61, Figure 3, positions the Eniployee s Record Sheet laterally with its first printing column inalignmentwith the magazine 91" locate'd' inthe 2nd columnar position oftlie carriage,-asshownin- Figure 8. with theEmployee s Record in prin'ting position, the value 0.55 is entered by operationof-the" numeral keys 14 and themotor bar1 7- i's depressed'to clo'se' the front" fee-d bail, cycle the machine; disable the printing hammers for 7 non-printing, add -the value 0.55 into the A registerof the lower; group-- and tabulate the carriage to its2nd'columnar-position;- Theyahie' OQS-S iseiitered into the Alregistr to round-olfthe tota l of regulaf l'iours worked to the nearest hour and is entered only once; For all other checks the motor key aloiie' i's-"used in this columnto close the carriage front feed throat.-'

The check is then affixed to the check holdei' 76: To-do this, the bottom edge of the clie'ckisdroppedinto the carriage throat,'not'shown; and theupper edge-there of is locked under two spring clips 97, see Figures- 6 and 7, and against two stops 98 provided therefor in the check holder 76. Stops 98 aline the check laterally in alinement with the printing line on the platen 26, and vertically to the first line of printing. The check is provided with a line or arrow 100 which, when aligned with a V notch 101 out in the check holder 7 6, positions the check laterally in its first printing position as shown in Figure 6.

Referring now to Figures 7 and 8, with the carriage 11 in the 2nd position, a step 163 on cam 71 bears on roller 73, to position the check 85 vertically in its first printing position. The amount 40.00, being the number of re ular hours worked by the employee is entered in amount keys 14, the right hand item keyboard, and the right hand motor bar 17 is depressed to cycle the machine. During the cycle, the amount is printed, is non-added in the upper crossfooter and is added in the lower group A2 register section actuated by type bars 22. The carriage automatically tabulates to the 3rd position during which a cam edge 1'74 of cam 71 cams on roller 73 and swings cam '71 and its bail supporting structure rearwardly whereupon, by means of links 67 and bell cranks 62, check holder 76 is raised a distance comparable to that between steps 1133 and 1% on cam 71, positioning the second printing line of the check in alignment with the printing point. In this position, 5.00 hours overtime is entered in the keys 14, the motor bar 17 is depressed to cycle the machine and the amount is non-added in the upper crossfooter and is added in the B2 register section by type bars 22.

In the 4th, 5th and 6th columnar positions, the check 35 is positioned by steps 1%7, 109 and 1111 of cam 71 and the regular, overtime and bonus earnings of the employee are entered in keys 14, the motor bar 17 is depressed to cycle the machine, and the amounts are added in the C2, B1 and D1 registers and upper and lower crossfooters, respectively.

It is to be noted here that the amounts entered so far are entered in keys 14 and are printed and entered in the totalizers under the control of type bars 22 which are controlled by the right hand keyboard and actuate the right hand sections of the split totalizers.

As the carriage is tabulated from the 6th to the 7th columnar position, a cam edge 112, bearing on roller 73, permits return of cam 71, to step 115 thereon, and lowers check 85 to its original position for the printing of the first deduction from the gross pay.

In the 7th to 14th positions, the check is positioned by steps 115-125 of cam 71 successively. The amounts, including Income Tax, 0. A. B., S. U. 1., Bonds, Hospitalization, Advances, and two Misc. accounts are entered in the keys 16 of the Left Keyboard, the left hand motor bar 19 is depressed after each entry to cycle the machine, and the amounts are added in the left hand sections of the A1, B1, C1, D1, A2, B2, C2, and D2 registers, and in the upper and lower crossfooter sections by type bars 23.

A spacing stroke on the crossfooters is taken in the 15th position as the carriage is tabulating from the 14th to 16th position.

In the 16th position, the check 85 is positioned vertically by step 127 of cam 71 and the gross pay and the total of the deductions are both printed as a sub-total of both the right and left hand sections of the upper crossfooter, the customary split printing provision eliminating the insignificant zeros between these two amounts.

The carriage is next arrested in the 17th position, where the check is positioned by step 128 of cam 71. Here the total of the deductions, 31.25, is entered in keys 14 of the Right Hand keyboard, and during a cycle is subtracted from the upper crossfooter and is accumulated in the right hand section of the D2 register to permit later determination of the grand total of the deductions.

The 18th position is an automatic spacing stroke cycle position to reset the transfer carriers of the crossfooters and registers in preparation for a subsequent subtotal cycle. This spacing stroke is taken as the carriage tabulates from step 128 to step 130 of cam 71. Also in this columnar position, one unit is added in a consecutive counting mechanism that is similar in construction to that disclosed in my Patent No. 2,177,817, dated October 31, 1939, the consecutive number to be printed later as the number of the check now being posted.

In the 19th columnar position, the check is positioned by step 139 of cam 71 and a sub-total is taken from the right hand section of the upper crossfooter, to print the net pay, the movement of the left hand type bars 23 being prevented by a conventional sector lock plate.

When the carriage is in this 19th position, a depending bracket 1311, Figures 6 and 7, secured to shaft 74 abuts a magnet 133 mounted on the check holder 76. This magnet, like magnet '77, is secured to the check holder 76 loosely enough to insure full and complete contact of its poles 134 and 136 with the bracket 131. During further leftward movement of carriage 11, the check holder 76 and bracket 79 are positively detached from plate 83 and move with the carriage, magnet 133 magnetically holding the two together.

During the tabulation of the carriage from the 19th to the 20th position cam edge 137 of cam 71 bears on roller 73 and lowers the check 85 until roller 73 rests upon step 139 of cam 71 which positions the check for lateral printing. In the 20th position, the check number automatically set up in the 18th position is printed on the check by type bars 22 as a sub-total of the A-l register in the right hand section of the totalizer.

in the 21st columnar position, the check remains in the same vertical position'as determined by step 139 of cam 71. A sub-total is taken from the right hand section of the crossfooter with printing only the dollars, a nonprint lug 141 blocking the printing hammers and preventing the printing from the cents section of the type bars 22 with the type bars 23 held by their sector lock. Simultaneous with the printing of the dollars on the check only, there being no carbon for the transfer of this figure to the journal, the date is printed from type bars 25 on the check, Employees Record and journal.

in the 22nd position, the check remains positioned by step 139 of cam 71 and a sub-total is taken of the right hand section of the crossfooter with printing only the cents, a lug 142 preventing release of the printing hammers for the dollar type bars.

In the 23rd position, a total is taken of the upper crossfooter to print the net pay on the check. The type bars 23 rise in this cycle to clear the total deductions from the left section of the crossfooter but a half lug 142a in the magazine prevents release of the left group of printing hammers and this amount is not printed on the check.

The carriage return mechanism is automatically engaged as the carriage is released from the 23rd columnar position returning the carriage to its first position. In this carriage return movement, the check holder is moved to the right by its magnetic contact with bracke 131 until the magnet 77 strikes the plate 83 to arrest the rightward movement of the holder and retain it in the stubprinting position.

The demouniable bail The check holder 76 and its supporting shaft 74 are demountably supported in plates 56. A slot 144 is provided in each plate 56 and shaft 74 is provided with annular grooves 145 fitting into said slots. A clamp 147 is pivoted on a stud 148 in each plate 56, and has a yieldable leaf 1513 that snaps over shaft 74 and retains it in slots 144 as shown in Figure 4. A stop pin 151 in each clamp 147 rests on the associated plate 56 to set clamps 147 in clamping position. T his enables the free and easy replacement of the check holder 76 with other types of paper holding means and thereby increases the versatility of the machine.

Mezrns' jor disab'li'r'zg the raising of the boil 154 and hold roller 73 from engagement with cam 71.'

The above described structure is the preferred embodiment of my invention but it will be clear that the invention is not limited thereto for modifications and variations to utilize such invention in other types of apparatus are obvious within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

' 1. In an accounting machine of the class described hav ing value set-up means, printingrnechanism controlled by said value set-up means, a traveling platen carriage and mechanism to position said carriage in various columnar positions relative to said printing means, the combination of a member having means thereon to hold a work sheet interposed between said printing mechanism and the platen of said carriage, a supporting means mounted in said carriage for lateral movement therewith and movable relatively thereto in a line spacing direction, said member being freely movablelaterally on said supporting means and line spaced therewith, a stationary part, a device on said carriage engageable with said stationary part and connected to said supporting means to move said supporting means into predetermined line space positions in said various carriage columnar positions and engageable, devices, on said member and a stationary machine part, said devices engageable in any line space position of said member to retain said member against lateral movement with said carriage.

2. An accounting machine as set forth in claim 1 in which said engageable devices comprise a magnet and a plate of magnetically attractive material contactable with said magnet to form a slidable and releasable connection between said devices. 7 V

V 3. An accounting machine as set forth in claim 1 including in combination an abutment secured to said supporting means and engageable with said member at a selected columnar position of said carriage to disengage said engageable devices and to move said member with said carriage during carriage travel in certain of said columnar positions.

4. An accounting machine as set forth in claim 3in which said engageable devices comprise a magnet and a plate of magnetically attractive material contactable with said magnet to form a slidable and releasable connection between said devices, in which said abutment is made of a magnetically attractive material, and in which a magnet is secured to said member to releasably secure said member to said abutment while said carriage is in said certain columnar positions.

5. In an accounting machine of the class described having amount set-up means, printing mechanism controlled thereby, and a traveling platen carriage movable relative to said printing mechanism into various columnar positions, at supporting frame mounted in said carriage for columnar movement therewith and for movement relative thereto in a line spacing direction, cooperative stationary and carriage supported means to shift said supporting frame to predetermined line space positions related'to the various columnar positions of said carriage as said carriage is moved, a work sheet holder freely laterally slid+ able on said supporting frame and moved thereby in a line space direction to position a work sheet held in said holder at selected line space positions and between said. pn'nting mechanism and the platen of said carriage, -a. stationary plate and means on said holder engageable with said plate in any line space position of said holderto retain said holder against movement with said carriage 6. In an accounting machine of the class described v the position of said carriage relative to said printing mechanism, a holder to hold a work sheet interposed between said printing mechanism and the platen of said carriage and freely movable along the length of said support bail, and releasable means to retain said holder in a predetermined lateral position.

riage movable relative to said printing mechanism, the

combination of a support bail mounted on said carriage for vertical movement and extending along the length of of said carriage, means controlled by said carriage to vertically position said support bail in accordance with the position of said carriage relative to said printing mechanism, a holder to hold a work sheet interposed between said printing mechanism and the platen of said carriage and freely movable along the lengthof said support bail, releasable means to retain said holder in a predetermined lateral position, an abutment on said support bail to engage said holder and move said holder with said carriage during a portion of the carriage travel and a second releasable means to retain said holder against movement relative to said support bail during said portion of the carriage travel. 7 v

8. In an accounting machine or" the class described having an amount set-up means, printing mechanism controlled thereby, and a traveling platen carriage movable relative to said printing mechanism into each of a plurality of columnar positions, the combination ofa support extending alongsaid carriage, means mounting said support in said carriage for movement perpendicular to the direction-of carriagetravel, a cam member having a plurality of steps at different levels thereon, a follower member contacting said cam member, one of said mernbers being stationary and the other member moving with said carriage, elements connecting said member moving Withsaid carriage to said support to position'said support in predetermined perpendicular positions as said follower member engages the different levels of said cam member, a work sheet holder slidable along said support and movable with said support into said predetermined perpendicular positions and releasable means to retain said holder in a fixed lateral position with respect to said group of columnar positions.

, 10. An accounting machine as set "forth. in claim :8 in which said'releasable means comprises a. magnet part and a part of magnetic material on which said magnet is slidable, one of said parts being fixed and the other se cured to said holder for movement therewith. 11, An accounting machine as set forth inclaim '10 including two magnetically attracting elements, one movable with said carriage and the other on said holder, said elements being engaged at a predetermined columnar position and, during subsequent movement of said carriage in one direction, positively releasing said releasable means while said holder is magnetically secured to said carriage for movement therewith.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Muller Mar. 6, 1934 Hart July 12, 1938 Woodgate July 1, 1947 Cunningham Feb. 19, 1952 

